Romantic Engagement Photos On The Streets Of Chicago

May 4, 2015 Steve Vansak

A groom to be dips his bride to be on the Dearborn Avenue bridge in Chicago.

Ah, a groom to be who enjoys dipping his soon to be bride!! Now, that's a beautiful thing. I will be sure to remember that come wedding day for Sandra and Andrew.

Our romantic engagement session on the streets of Chicago saw perfect temperatures and had a cast of characters greeting us as we made our way around the city. We saw everything from a singing older gentleman in a wizard looking outfit to a Polish parade to a train full of NFL draft football fanatics. It was a fun and unforgettable day!!

As is tradition in my Chicago Sessions Engagement Package, we started on the South Shore train platform for a romantic photo with the train speeding by. This specialty engagement shoot features everything shot in color with alternate black white versions, for a 1960's style street photography look.

The train speeds by a couple on the train platform for their engagement photo.

Today is only a sneak peek from the weekend's photo shoot, so I will be mostly showcasing the color versions today. As you can see from the collage below, we traveled the city quite a bit and shot natural candid photos in addition to some romantic staged shots near various landmarks such as the Chicago River, Navy Pier ferris wheel and on State Street in front of the Chicago Theater.

A collage of Spring time Chicago engagement photos.

Sandra and Andrew were a bit nervous at the start, but they did great. They naturally interacted with each other like in this shot on Michigan Avenue with the colorful tulips in the foreground. I made sure to get some nice close up portraits of them as well.

Special thanks to Sandra and Andrew for going the extra mile for our epic engagement shoot. I know I was tiring them out a bit. To the point where I'm sure they really enjoyed this fun, laying in the sun shot at the Millennium Park fountain.

A couple relaxes in front of the Millennium Park fountain in Chicago.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Sandra and Andrew's romantic engagement photos on the streets of Chicago. Stay tuned here and on Instagram and Facebook for more images. See the links below!!

Engagement Session In Downtown Crown Point

April 27, 2015 Steve Vansak

Engagement photo in downtown Crown Point.

The sun was radiant for April and Fred's engagement session in downtown Crown Point. We needed it too because the wind was strong and chilly. The idea was to give a hometown flavor to the soon to be married couple's engagement photos along with a Spring time look. I was pleased to capture the rays of the sun sneaking through this blooming tree next to the old courthouse on the Square - both for the look and the warmth it brought!!

We definitely wanted to showcase the Grand Old Lady as the the historic courthouse is named with our happy couple out front as the blue sky reflected off the windows.

Kissing in front of the Old Courthouse in Crown Point.

I felt bad for April as her hair was constantly blowing around from the high winds. Luckily we were shielded a bit from the tall buildings as we strolled around the Square. The bright sun gave us a warm look though and I appreciate these guys putting up with me going through several takes until the wind settled.

Collage of Crown Point engagement photos.

For some of the images, April and Fred simply sat on a bench in one of the courtyards on the square as I fired off candids. I'm not sure what they were discussing, but they had a few laughs as I spied on them from afar.

We then finally made our way to the west side of the Old Courthouse where the late afternoon, orange sun illuminated the tall building.

Engagement photo underneath the American flag in downtown Crown Point.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at April and Fred's engagement photo session in downtown Crown Point. Look for more images soon on the Facebook and Instagram feeds listed below.

Think Spring!!

What To Wear To An Engagement Session

March 16, 2015 Steve Vansak

A young couple wears a stylish maroon color for their engagement session in Chicago.

Spring and early summer are a peak time for engagement sessions. I often get an email a couple of weeks before the shoots asking me questions such as 'what to wear', 'what to bring' and 'where to go'. I'm not Mr. Fashion by any stretch, but I do know a few things that the camera likes. I also want my couples to be themselves and have fun at the session. So, how do we make all of these things mesh? Let's discuss...

A cute couple sits on the edge of the pier at Lemon Lake Park.

The two above images have a few things in common. Besides being straight ahead, looking at the camera images - solid colors have ruled the day. By not wearing stripes or flashy logos, the focus is on each couple. At the same time, the colors still pop - nothing is drab. Now, every rule is meant to be broken. I have had couples wear stripes and we have gotten some fun photos and it looks great. It all depends on what we are doing and the personalities involved. The couple wearing stripes also had some solid colors that they wore in the session as well. I have no problem with you changing clothes mid session.

This brings us to another popular trend - team clothing. While I discourage face painting for your engagement session (no need for a goalie mask to show your Blackhawk pride), feel free to bring your favorite sports team clothing. Midway through the session you can change, break out a prop if you wish and we will take some images. Some couples are even able to show off their wedding date with certain player numbers. I know what I'll be doing on 9/19 this year!! :)

The wedding date is written on a football for these Indianapolis Colts fan's engagement photo. — The wedding date is written on a football for these Indianapolis Colts fan's engagement photo.

If you are going on one of my famous Chicago Sessions, I recommend "classic clothing". While I will be shooting these in color, there will be a whole set made into black and white with film grain added to simulate street photography from the 1960's and 1970's. It's a cool, vintage look that really begs for solid colors. Wearing a stylish pea coat or hat couldn't hurt either. Jeans and solid tee shirts are good too. Think classic - no distractions, no logos.

A couple kisses in the streets of Chicago in this black and white engagement photo.

Another thing to consider is where and what we will be doing at your engagement session. If we are going to the beach before dusk, perhaps some capris are appropriate. Will I be able to persuade you to run at me and throw leaves into the air? Will you be active at our engagement session? Keep that in mind for your clothing options as well.

A couple embraces for their engagement photo at an Indiana farm.

In the above photo we are in a bean field of an Indiana farm. This is an instance where the plaid works well and the casual clothing fits perfectly.

The important thing is that your engagement photos convey who you are. I'm sure you are not a stiff person and I don't want you to look that way in your pictures. So, be comfortable and just follow a few simple guidelines. Simple is usually best. Let's keep the focus on you!!

Autumn Engagement Photos in Crown Point

November 6, 2014 Steve Vansak

A couple embraces in the woods during an Autumn engagement session in Crown Point.

I had a great time with Kelly and Danny during their engagement session in Crown Point, Indiana. The temperatures were chilly, but the tall wooded trees at Lemon Lake Park shielded us. One of our more spontaneous shots was the couple running toward the camera with arms full of leaves to throw them in the air. Their expressions say it all...

Leaf throwing fun at Lemon Lake Park for an Autumn engagement session.

We roamed deep into the park taking candid photos as well as Fall portraits by the lake. In one shot a lone leaf fell on Danny's head as he and Kelly kissed. People fishing on the lake congratulated them on their upcoming wedding as I sat them down on a bench for some close ups.

An Autumn engagement session in Crown Point, captured in a collage of images.

The Fall engagement sessions this year have been off the charts. This is merely a sneak peek with many more images to come. To see more, stay tuned here via the RSS feed listed below or the Region Weddings Facebook page. To book your own session or inquire about your own wedding date, please fill out the Contact Form. Stay warm, eat pumpkin bread!! :)